The Most Ancient Heart of Black
by H.A. Elrod
Summary: After coming across a locket long forgotten, Sirius Black reminisces on his sixth year at Hogwarts where he first met Amelia Ronan. Sirius beams with nostalgic joy as he retells the story of his beautiful girlfriend with a magnificent secret. A tragic love story he promised himself he'd never forget.
1. Chapter 1

As Harry journeyed down the hall to follow Mrs. Weasleys cheery call to dinner he glanced once more into the dusty living room at 12 Grimmauld Place.

He stopped at the sight of Sirius sitting alone at the rattling boggart infested desk, holding the sealed locket he Ron, Sirius, and Hermione had each failed to open.  
Sirius looked thoughtfully at the locket before bringing it to his lips and whispering gently into its side.  
Harry tilted his head in curiosity as the locket clicked open and revealed a hand sized projection of a young woman with black hair and a crown of bright stars. The woman beamed at the sight of Sirius, who smirked back and sighed as he slightly shook his head.

"You got it open." Harry said walking to his side.

Sirius turned his head quickly in surprise, unaware he had company.

"Oh, uh, yes, it suddenly came back to me." He nodded, the girl still smiling up at him.

"Another family member?" Harry inquired now looking over his shoulder.

Sirius gave a single bark of laughter. "No no, it would have stayed in the rubbish bin if that were the case." He paused. "No, young Harry, believe it or not this was once my girlfriend." He said with a tight smirk.

Harry was taken aback, he had never thought of Sirius as the romantic type.

But then again, he didn't really know much about Sirius at all.

At a closer more concentrated glace, Harry saw that the young woman was quite beautiful, probably in her early 20's. Her eyes were bright blue and her skin pale and smooth. She looked wonderfully composed and put together; The complete opposite of Sirius who looked upon the image with wildly disheveled hair and tired dark circles under his gray eyes.

"Where is she now?" Harry asked.

"The tropics, last I heard... studying magical creatures of the land and sea." He answered.

Just then Mrs. Weasley poked in her head and ordered them both to the table. They both obeyed and the locket was snapped shut and tossed onto the couch.

Dinner was crowded and energetic, Mrs. Weasley had made yet another delicious meal that filled Harry well. But an unavoidable emptiness laid in his stomach as his thoughts lingered once more to tomorrow's hearing at the Ministry.

Finished with dinner and forced conversation, Harry left the table and walked back to the living room, soon followed by Sirius.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Sirius asked brows furrowed in concern.

"Fine. Just nervous about tomorrow."

"Mmm...yes... I wouldn't fret about it too much, I'm sure Dumbledore has it all under control."

"Yeah... Sure... I just can't seem to get it off my mind."

"Well we could always stun some more Doxies?" He joked.

Harry laughed reluctantly as he shook his head leaning against the couch and looking at the tired old tapestry that hung on the wall.

"Why don't you tell me more about your family?" He suggested.

"Believe me Harry, those tales would only unsettle you more." He joked as he grabbed the locket from the arm of the couch and put it in his pocket.

"Tell me more about her, then." Harry nodded to his pocket. "I'm sure you had an exciting dating life."

Sirius laughed heartily as he sat down and squinted suspiciously at Harry.

"Fine, but only because you're right. I _did_ have an impressive lineup of girlfriends."

"No you didn't." Harry quipped.

Sirius laughed as he pulled the locket from his pants pocket.

"You're right, I didn't."

He then brought the locket to his lips once more and murmured "Leatherwing."

At this the locket cracked open once again to reveal the beaming girl, now smoothing her hair to the side as the crown of stars twinkled.

"Amelia was someone very special to me . . .Get comfortable young Harry, if I'm going to tell this story, I'm going to do it right."

Harry sat opposite him and waited for the tale to begin.

"Our romantic tragedy begins my sixth year at Hogwarts. James, Remus and I had just successfully planted an exploding potion into the cloak pocket of umm... someone whose name has suddenly slipped my mind."

"Snape." Harry offered with a smirk.

Sirius smiled back mischievously

" _Anyways..._ we had made ourselves late for Transfiguration and were sprinting to class in hopes of avoiding the wrath of McGonagall."


	2. Chapter 2

Their shoes pounded down the cobble stone hallway as James, Remus, and Sirius rushed to their Transfiguration lesson.

Hunched over and gasping for air as they reached the chamber door Remus pounded a hard jab into James' shoulder.

"You two have GOT to stop making me late for lessons! Especially with these ridiculous pranks!" Remus yelled breathlessly as he strained to fix his hair and tie.

"Oh Remus, you know it's going to be hilarious when Snivellus finds it." James cackled. "He brings these things upon himself, really. Anyways, you know Sirius and I are rubbish at potions. Who else was going to make it?" He stated with a pat on Remus shoulder.

Remus shook his head in agitation as he continued to straighten his tie nervously.

Moments later, a class of Ravenclaws and Slytherins dismissed from their lesson.

The group of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs walked in and sighted Professor McGonagall talking seriously to a girl with wavy black hair as they entered.

The boys came in and sat down at their seats as McGonagall whispered intensely to the young girl as she listened and nodded in obedience. They soon finished and the girl was dismissed, her waist length black hair swaying behind her.

James and Remus took out their books while Sirius found himself hypnotized, staring open mouthed at the chamber door.

McGonagall's lesson was difficult and exhausting, long gone where the days where the only expectation was the ability to change a button into a beetle.  
Tired and confused after their two-hour long lecture on the dangers and benefits of human Transfiguration, Lunch was warmly welcomed by the group.  
A grand assortment of sandwiches towered each table. Tea sandwiches, turkey sandwiches, jelly sandwiches, cheese sandwiches all surrounded by fruit placed upon the serving tray in a mountainous cornucopia.

James was transfixed in conversation with Lily while Sirius ate his two turkey sandwiches and stared at the Ravenclaw table where the girl from the class before his sat peacefully reading a thick book as she ate an apple. Sirius found himself mesmerized by her.

Turning to James and Lily, who were busy annoyingly flirting with one another, he cleared his throat loudly in attempts to capture their attention. When he was unanimously ignored he rolled his eyes in irritation before smacking James on the head.  
James' shoulders jumped to his ears as he slowly turned to look at Sirius.

"Can I help you?" He asked agitatedly through gritted teeth.

"Mate, whose that Ravenclaw over there with the long black hair? Have either of you seen her before?"

They both looked over and back again.

"Nope." James said dryly, turning back to Lily.

Lily turned to her side leaning on the table, red hair cascading over her arm "Sorry Sirius, I've never seen her before." She stopped looking over at the table for a second glance her eyes widening. "But apparently Remus does." She giggled.

They all turned quickly to see Remus comfortably talking to the girl. He was looking at her book and notes intently while she spoke, absolutely consumed with whatever she was showing him in the thick and dusty book they both seemed fascinated with.

After a few dreadfully long minutes, Remus smiled and thanked the girl as he got up and walked back to his own house table to eat. Sitting down next to Peter who had just arrived at the table as well, he innocently reached for a sandwich, only to get his hand smacked.

Pulling back quickly he looked at Sirius in offense "What's wrong with you?!" He exclaimed, stroking his hand.

"Don't mind him Remus, he's going through a phase." James noted dryly as he rubbed his head.

"What's your deal with that Ravenclaw girl?" Sirius said ignoring their whines "Do you know her? Do you like her? What's her story?"

Remus sighed in frustration and squinted his eyes dumbfounded that this was the reason for his rash abuse.

"Her name is Amelia, she just transferred this year. McGonagall suggested I ask for her notes on an extra credit lesson." He paused.

"She's brilliant at Transfiguration apparently." He said as he reached once more for a sandwich warily at first, making sure it was safe.

"Actually," he continued, taking a bite "She knows quite a lot about Sir Bindle and the Irish conquests. It's all quite fascinating really, did you know he was the first to discover that dragons-"

"Yeah, yeah, okay, Thank you Remus." Sirius interrupted waving him off the beginnings of a long history lesson. "You said she just transferred? From what school?"

He shrugged as he took a bite. "'Dunno, she spoke with an Irish accent, so some school there I suppose."

Wanting his interrogation to be over, Remus pulled out a piece of parchment and began to eat as he worked on a potions assignment. Sirius still eyed the girl as she continued to read.

"Stop staring at her Sirius, you'll freak her out." Lily urged.

Just before he tore himself away, her eyes flickered up and met his. His cheeks went red before he smiled confidently and waved to her, she giggled and waved back bashfully before quickly looking back down at her book with a smile.


	3. Chapter 3

"Oi, it'll be good to get out of school tonight." James stated as he pulled off his tie and threw it into the untidy open trunk at the end of his bed. "Thank Merlin for the full moon." He cheered.

"Yeah, I can't say I feel quite the same way." Remus sulked with a deep sigh. "I'm ready for morning . . ."

"Come on" Sirius warmed. "It's supposed to be a warm clear night, we'll let you lead through the woods this time... it'll be morning before we know it." He comforted.

"Peter are you sure you don't want to come?" James asked.

"Sorry, I'm just not feeling well tonight and I have loads of homework." Peter muttered sitting at the end of his bed. His round face solemn and pale.

The three friends roughly rustled Peters hair and wish him well as they smooshed together inside of the invisibility cloak and journeyed on their way towards the womping willow.

Sirius was right, it wasn't just any night. It was perfectly clear and warm, accented beautifully with a nice cool breeze.  
Entering the shrieking shack, the moon soon commanded the night and they each transformed.

Remus into his thin young wolf, James into a strong stag and Sirius into a shaggy black dog. They ventured through the night and fought each other in the shrieking shack before bounding through the forbidden forest.  
As the sun began to rise, they each returned to their human forms. 

Wanting to embrace every second of the warm dawn before having to go back to their dorm, the trio decided on venturing through the back routes to the castle, walking the pebbled shore of the black lake. They all laughed and joked, Remus as well, now in much lighter spirits with the night behind him. They crunched along the shore, joyfully skipping rocks on the still black water. The birds singing overhead and the warm breeze rustling their messy hair.

"First one to the end of the shore wins two galleons!" James challenged.

They all laughed as they broke out into a sprint, speeding down the shoreline, wind flying through their hair. Each shoving the other to get the upper hand. Approaching the shores end Remus gained a slight upper hand before he and the others each skidded to a painful stop. 

A young girl lay face down, motionless and soaking on the shoreline. Sirius immediately recognized her by the magnificence of dark hair that lay around her.

They looked at each other in shock before running to her aid.

Remus took off his cloak to wrap round her as Sirius fell to his knees and turned her over, lifting her head onto his lap and placing two fingers on her neck to feel for a pulse. Her heart hardly pounded against his fingers.

"She's alive, but just barely." He stated. "We have to get her back to the castle."

As he moved to lift her, her closed eyes suddenly ripped open as she gasped ferociously for air. Sirius pulled back in shock at the sight of her eyes, placid and bright blue in the great hall, now black and rimmed with hot licking flames.

She gasped for air only for a moment before choking and quickly passing out again.

Sirius looked in terror towards Remus and James, each of them speechless.

James shook his head clear and spoke first "Hurry, to the castle...Now!"

Sirius lifted Amelia as they all ran to the hospital wing.

Madame Pomfrey was startled when the three boys crashed through the doors yelling for help. She turned to see them holding a limp body and quickly showed them to a vacant bed where Amelia was gently laid.

All three boys panicked and spoke all at once as Madame Pomfrey calmed when she walked to the bedside and saw who her patient was. Annoyed with the tirade of information being thrown at her from three different ends she turned around sharply.

"Shh! You three must calm down!" They obeyed. "Now, would ONE of you please tell me what has happened here. Where was she found?" She inquired as she pulled Amelia's shoes off and laid her wand carefully on the bedside table.

"The shore of the Black Lake... "Sirius said. "We didn't see what happened...but her eyes...they were rung with fire! I don't know what could cause something like that. She may have been bitten by something! Or cursed!"

Madam Pomfrey pulled off Amelia's wet socks and calmly smiled at the boys.

"Thank you three for your help. I can assure you she'll be perfectly fine. You can head back to your dormitory." She ended.

"We'd like to stay and make sure she- "Sirius started.

"That's quite out of the question, Mr. Black." She returned as she wrote down on a piece of parchment and poured a small glass of pumpkin juice, laying it on the bedside.

"Forgive me mam, but I don't think you're hearing us. Her eyes were hot with fire! She was practically drowned and your accurate medicinal administration is that of calm tones and pumpkin juice?!"

Madame Pomfrey turned sharply in agitation. Closing the curtain around the bed and turning to tower over the small group of intimidated heroes.

"I don't know what has seemed to possess you Mr. Black. But I assure you Ms. Ronan will be perfectly fine in my care. Now I must INSIST that you, Mr. Lupin and Mr. Potter return to Gryffindor immediately, before I'm forced to ask why YOU three were out on school grounds past curfew! I'm sure Professor McGonagall would be interested to hear of it!"

They looked at each other nervously and obeyed reluctantly. Leaving as Madam Pomfrey waved her wand to summon a tray of potions and stack of thick blankets.


	4. Chapter 4

The following day, Sirius found that he could do nothing more than stare at the clock waiting for his charms class to end. Finally, Professor Flitwick ended his lesson and assigned them homework before dismissing them for the day. Sirius wasted no time before rushing to the hospital wing.

As he pushed past the old wooden door, he saw to his surprise, Dumbledore and Remus already at the girl's bedside. Amelia was sitting upright with a blue blanket and stuffed Ravenclaw eagle on her lap. Flowers and get-well cards littering her bedside table.

As Sirius neared awkwardly, Remus turned and waved as Dumbledore welcomed.

"Good afternoon, Sirius."

"Hello, Professor." He returned.

"Sirius Black?" Amelia asked with a musically Irish accent. She beamed as she reached her hand out for his. He accepted immediately and quickly examined her eyes. She was the image of health. Her eyes placid and bright blue and her cheeks warm with color.

"Thank you so much for rescuing me." She began. "I shudder when I think about what may have happened if you and your friends hadn't showed up."

"It's not a problem..." he said feeling out of place next to Remus and his headmaster overseeing their exchange as she clasped his hand tighter.

"And I still have yet to meet...James, right?" she asked Sirius.

He nodded as her soft warm hand still grasped his.

"When will you be released?" Remus asked.

"Hopefully today, I feel fine but Madam Pomfrey's insisting I stay a day longer."

"Yes, well certainty is in her character. I'll have a talk with Poppy and see what I can do...which in all honesty, won't be very much I'm sure."Dumbledore smiled. "But, none the less, I will leave you to the company of your friends, Ms. Ronan. Get better soon."

He smiled as he bade them all warm goodbyes and left the was confused as to why the headmaster was there at all. He'd have Remus fill him in later.

"I'll take my leave as well. I'll be sure to bring those books you asked for." Remus states as he stood to leave.

Amelia smiled as he walked off and offered the vacant chair to Sirius, letting go of his hand as he sat down.

They both sat in silence before Sirius' looked over at her casually, question in his eyes.

"That was some accident." He offered, nodding his head slowly.

She held back a short laugh and settled into her propped pillow and nodded, the eagle now nestled under her arm.

"Oh yes, quite the ordeal."

"I've been thinking about it and just thought I'd ask if stuff like this had ever happened before? Particularly on the night of a full moon?" He stated bluntly.

Her sweet laughter filled the room before she looked over at her visitor, still beaming.

"Are you asking me if I'm a werewolf?"

"You could tell me; I assure you your secret would be safe." He whispered sincerely.

"I believe you." She smiled. "but no, sorry, I'm not a werewolf."

"But your eyes...they looked like fire. And it was a full moon..."

"Both observations are correct, but your conclusion is not." She pointed amusedly with a raised brow.

"Animagus?" He probed.

She shook her head.

"What kind of Animagus would I have been? Fire-eyed pigeon?" She mused.

Sirius looked at her and paused for a moment. She had such a beautiful face, and her smiling eyes were warm and friendly. They're bright blue color and almond shape, comforting. He now leaned his chest and arms on the side of her bed, setting his head in his hand as he continued to analyze her in fascination.

"Well then what happened out there? Are you part dragon or something?!" He grasped with a laugh.

Her face smirked slightly as she pushed a lock of hair behind her ear and leaned closer to him.

"Well, what about you?" She quickly turned. Folding her hands on her lap. "Are _you_ a werewolf? You seem to be very educated on the species. Why were _you_ out by the black lake past curfew? Howling at the moon perhaps?"

He laughed and ran a hand through his hair confidently "I'm no werewolf, just adventurous."

"Is adventurous what they call 'rule breaker' these days?" She jeered.

He smirked mischievously. "No, but while we're on the subject, I'm definitely that as well."

She laughed at his honesty and looked at her hands through long dark lashes. Biting his lip in attraction he nodded his head to grab her attention once more.

"Where are you from? I haven't seen you until this year."

Her smile faded as looked out her window.

"I was...homeschooled. My father is a university professor in Ireland, quite a notable teacher of magical ancient ruins and artifacts. . .my mom was a muggle, she died when I was young."

She muttered, obviously sensitive about the subject.

"I'm sorry . . .You have to tell me more about-"

He stopped as Madam Pomfrey's demanding feet turned the corner and stopped in front of Amelia's bed.

"Visiting hours are over. Ms. Ronan needs to eat dinner." She stated quickly before walking away to heap food off of the trolley nearby.

Sirius stood up and leaned in close to Amelia's face, her sky-blue eyes fixed onto his gray ones.

"I'm not done getting to know you." He flirted.

"Good." She chimed back with a quick raise of her brow.

As he walked out of the hospital wing he saw Professor Dumbledore just outside talking to Professor McGonagall and Remus.

Sirius paused at the curious sight. Remus noticed him first and waved before saying good bye to the two teachers.

"Moony, are you in trouble?" Sirius asked when Remus came to his side.

Remus shook his head and waved his hand. "No, it's nothing. Just talking about Transfiguration." He blurted.

Sirius' eyes squinted in suspicion. Remus was great at many things but lying was never one of them. He was too genuine.

"You're a terrible liar." Sirius stated.

Remus sighed heavily in defeat, looking pleadingly onto Sirius, begging him not to push him to admit the truth. Sirius put his arm over his friend's shoulder and smiled.

"Alright, fiiiine, keep quiet. All the more opportunity for me to tell you how hot Amelia is for me!" Sirius exclaimed.

Remus shook his head and scoffed. "You're a dog."

"Well, Yes, but she hasn't discovered _that_ yet." Sirius laughed as he led his friend through the corridor for dinner.


	5. Chapter 5

Winter quickly swept through Hogwarts and soon covered the grounds with thick blankets of snow.

The students all shivered as they walked through the courtyard bundled in thick scarves and hats.

James was practicing a charm in the great hall when Sirius entered. He sat back and watched as James stunned a young mouse, freezing it in mid step.

"You've got that down." Sirius congratulated.

"Stupid Severus pulled this on me yesterday. Left me freezing in the outside stairwell for hours until a prefect finally showed up. Have you seen that snipe anywhere?" James asked hungry for revenge.

"I haven't, he's probably cowering in a damp cave scared you're looking for him." Sirius smirked. "You going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?"

"Haven't decided yet." James stated while keeping his eyes focused on the great hall doors, noticeably irritated when the students that entered weren't Snape.

Sirius sighed as he looked at a group of first year's shiver and complain as they brushed snow off their books.

"Everyone's been so weird about the weather. It's just snow, get on a bloody hat and get over it for Merlin's sake."

"Do you know if Lily's going?" James asked.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "I don't, but what I do know is that you need to man up and ask her yourself. This game between you two is getting old and desperate."

James turned toward his friend in offense.

"I'm not desperate. It's just not as easy as walking up to her and asking her out." James stated melancholically as he sat down, stroking the now energetic mouse.

"Oh, please." Sirius agitated to his moping friend. "Everybody knows she likes you James, you can't lose." He comforted with a pat to his friend's shoulder.

His focus moved from James to the giggling group of girls that had just walked into the great hall.

Amelia was surrounded by a group of friends, covered with snow. As they walked to their table, they began to remove their dripping layers, laughing at a short curly haired girl who was charming the snow on her textbooks into a small fat snowman.  
Amelia's gaze went quickly to the Gryffindor table and she smiled widely when she met Sirius' gaze.

Following her friends, she sat down at her house table, eyes still flickering up to meet his. Her face was as magnificent as ever, even more so with red cheeks and nose colored from the cold.

"Alright mate, watch and see how it's done." Sirius said to James with a clap of his hands. James' eyes followed Sirius in delighted amusement.

Making his way to the Ravenclaw table. He smirked and winked confidently at James before crouching down and tapping Amelia on the shoulder, snow glistening in her glossy hair.

She turned in surprise and smiled down at him, pulling her hair to the side.

"Well, hello, I see we meet again." She welcomed.

"I warned you this would happen." He returned with a confident shrug. "Listen, I know everyone is in a panic about the snow, but I was curious if you were planning on going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?"

She shrugged "I haven't decided yet."

"Well if you happened to decide that you _were_ going, then I'd definitely decide to go."

"Really? The weather hasn't deterred you?"

His face dropped into an emotionless gaze as he silently mouthed 'no'

She giggled and gently grazed his shoulder with her finger. "I'll be there."

With a quick nod and smile, Sirius stood and walked back to the Gryffindor table, grabbing his bag and beaming triumphantly to James who shook his head in disbelief.

The following day proved to be what everyone feared as a blistering snow storm blew in and made for a freezing February afternoon.

Sirius had convinced James, Lily, and Peter to come along and brave the weather. Remus sat at a desk by the roaring fire in the Gryffindor common room surrounded by books and pieces of parchment.

When asked if he would come along, his answer needed nothing more than an unamused glance out of the frosted window that creaked at the hinges from the force of the howling white wind.

The four friends settled off down the moving stairway and paused at the castle doors where a couple of other students had decided to travel the cold road to Hogsmeade.

"She's not here." Lily noticed.

"Ehh, I'm sure I'll see her when we get there. Let's go." Sirius urged as they all zipped jumpers and pulled on hats. Lily shuddered as she realized she'd left her hat back in the common room.

James immediately pulled off his own and fasted it onto her head with a smile, tucking a lock of red hair behind her ear.

Her face burst a deep shade of scarlet as she smiled and skipped joyfully to the front of the group.

Sirius knocked James with a smile and encouraging pat on the back.

"Atta boy!" He encouraged.

The winter storm was brutal but the wind had thankfully died down by the time they got going towards town.

Thick clumps of snow continued to fall from the sky as their feet crunched through the white path. Finally, they spotted the welcoming Hogsmeade; snow laden and welcoming as each chimney exhaled puffs of warm smoke.

"Three Broomsticks?" James suggested.

They all grunted in agreement and journey to the pub for a hot serving of butterbeer.

The bell clanged over head as the group rushed into the cozy pub out of the frigid cold.

The group settled at a table as Sirius walked to the bar to purchase drinks.

Walking back with steaming mugs clattering in each hand, he set down the beverages and looked around the pub for the twelfth time.

"Are you sure she said to meet here?" Lily inquired.

"Positive." Sirius returned as his eyes rested on the pub door.

Thirty minutes slowly passed by and everyone was restless to leave for Zonkos and Honeydukes.

"You lot go on." Sirius said. "I'm going to stay here five more minutes . . .I'll meet you at Honeydukes."

The group stood and bundled up, leaving out the door into the whistling cold.

Sirius sat and shook his head over the messy failure of the outing. Brushing off his anticipation he stood up and quickly put his scarf and jacket back on and headed for the door. As he pulled it open and rushed out to catch up with his friends, he crashed into someone walking in.

The girl squealed in surprise as they bumped into each other. Sirius repeated apologies as Amelia laughed.

"I believe it's me that owes the apology." She said. "I'm dreadfully late. I couldn't convince any of my friends to come! ... But it looks like I'm not alone in that!" She said looking behind Sirius, noticing he was alone.

Sirius led her into the warm pub as if he owned it and walked her to a small table in the corner.

She took off her thick coat and revealed a fitted dark green sweater dress that Sirius noticed hugged her curves particularly well.

Removing her hat, her hair began to cascade over her shoulders and she sat down and gave a quick shiver.

"We're mad. It's terrible outside! You're lucky your charm gave me the courage to take on the elements."

His lips curved into a small smirk. "Ehh, I've second guessed myself a few times today. It's bloody awful out there."

She waved her hand "It's just a little snow." She relaxed, her hand resting on her cheek as she took him in. Everything about Sirius was drew her in. His long messy hair, smoldering grey eyes and defined cheekbones. His sly grin was practiced in mischief and his bright smile was always returned with her own. She laughed as they continued to stare at one another, Sirius met the exact stereo type of the kind of guy parents of teenage girls worry their daughters will bring home.

"Have you been coming to Hogsmeade since your first year?" She asked breaking their daze.

"No, you can't even come until year three. So not too long. It's a nice escape though not that the Hogwarts grounds are necessarily constricting." He said with a wink.

"Especially for someone who seems to have no problem breaking past constrictions." She mused.

"You say breaking, I say bending..." he shrugged innocently. "And let us not forget that you too seemed to have diddled a bit in rule breaking.

"Ugh yes, lest we not forget."

Sirius excused himself and went to the bar, ordering tea. When he returned, the candle that was set on the middle of the table had disappeared and been replaced with a small, hand sized cat. No cat with fur, but a small wax cat with a wick of fire on its back, gingerly walking around the table and pawing at old crumbs. When Amelia saw Sirius approach the table she waved her hand in front of the cat and immediately transformed it back into a single candle.

"That was brilliant!"

She blushed. "Transfiguration is kind of my thing, I guess."

"And without a wand? Impressive."

A steaming pot of tea and two cups were set on the table. Amelia placed a cup gently in front of him and then herself, pouring the tea by hand.

"What are you good at?" She asked with a raise of her brow.

Sirius thought to himself how he was very good at a certain form of Transfiguration...himself in particular, but he didn't know Amelia well enough to trust her with that secret yet.

"Charms is definitely my strong suite. Potions is probably my least favorite, I'm rubbish at it."

"I don't much care for potions either, but they do interest me! All those possibilities in the palm of your hand. I studied potions a lot too before coming here."

"So much studying! You must be years ahead of the rest of us."

She blushed "No, not really. I do love it here. To be completely honest, I never want to leave."

"I can understand that." Sirius stated.

Amelia looked for him to go on. He sighed and quickly talked about his family, eager to have the topic behind them.

"Home life isn't great for me. I'm pretty unwanted, definitely the black sheep of the family."

She shook her head in disbelief. "No way, you're so well liked . . . and easy to get on with!"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Let me put it this way, as far back as my family goes they've been a house of proud and determined Slytherins. They not only meet the Slytherins stereo type, I'm pretty sure they invented it." He finished.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Sounds like Hogwarts is a kind of solace for you too."

He nodded "It is."

Pausing to put both arms on the table, folding his hands, he stared intently at Amelia, she knew what he was about to ask and she was prepared to answer.

"What's your story?" He wondered.

"Oh stop." She smirked. "You're just curious about what happened when you found me half dead."

He choked back his tea, covering his mouth "that sentence alone will raise anyone's curiosity." He croaked.

"To be honest with you I've been battling with myself since then." Amelia stated seriously.

"Oh?"

"Yes, wondering if you can handle it...the truth of what I really am."

"There's only one way to find that out." Sirius offered with an attractive upturn of his lips. Amelia felt drawn towards him emotionally and physically. Taking another sip from his cup his eyes smiled back at hers over the porcelain rim.

Amelia pulled out her wand and moved it in a circle. Two small orbs came out and together above their heads covering them in a translucent orb.

"Protective charm so nobody can overhear us."

Sirius shook his foot in anticipation. "Oh, this is going to be good."


	6. Chapter 6

"I'll start by stating the obvious, I'm different from everybody here. Remember when I told you my father was a professor of magical ancient ruins and artifacts?"

Sirius nodded.

"Well, when he graduated with his doctorate, his longtime mentor gave him a most prized possession. A vial of blood from the ancient dragon Olliphet, said to be slain by Saint George in medieval times. The gift was treasured by my father and worn around his next for years. I had a very happy childhood. Gardening with my mum, reading books on grassy hillsides, watching my father mess around with his hobbies and ramble on about his love of history." She shrugged. "It was an idyllic time, memories I'll treasure forever.

Unfortunately, that all came to a crashing halt when I was ten. The three of us were driving into town one winter to visit friends for dinner and our car slid on a thick patch of black ice which resulted in a terrible car accident that killed my mother instantly. My father had a few broken bones but would be fine, I on the other hand was unconscious and bleeding internally.  
In a state of panic, my father raked his brain for magical ways to save me but came up short. In a moment of desperation, he remembered the dragons blood. Having read somewhere that it had the ability to miraculously heal wounds. He ripped the chain from his neck and poured it down my throat in hopes to save me.

To his great relief, I was healed instantly. We were brought to a muggle hospital and sent home the next day..." Amelia paused as she looked down at her tea cup thrown into the trenches of her past.

"A day after our release I started getting these blindingly painful headaches. I thought they were a result of the accident and my emotional trauma of losing my mother."

Pain stricken, she now looked out the snowy window, holding her hands on the table and rubbing her fingers nervously, tears forming in her eyes. Sirius reached across the small table and grabbed her hand, wrapping his fingers through hers. She gave a weak smile and continued.

"After a week, with no relief I knew it had to be something more. My headaches would wake my father up at night to find me on my bedroom floor screaming and writhing in pain. He had no idea what the cause could be and one day as he tried to soothe and console during one of my treacherous episodes, he witnessed in great terror the change of my eyes.

I can't really explain how it happened. The pain was so immense, all consuming, as if something was trying to claw out of my body. I would try desperately to push the pain down, to will it away with no sense of relief.

My father had no idea what to do so he brought me to St. Mungos in desperation for answers. He told them about the accident and the dragon's blood. When he was finished retelling the story and listing my symptoms, they were convinced I was cursed. That the gift my father treasured was not Dragons blood at all but a dark potion created by a wicked witch or wizard in hopes to torture their victim for life; Two years I was chained to a padded cell in St. Mungos. I was told that I was a threat to the magical community as well as my friends and family.

They allowed my father to come and teach me lessons through a protective shield and every day I stood witness to the pain and remorse in his eyes. He was tortured with what he had done. He hated leaving me there, noticing it was slowly killing me.  
One day, when he came for my lesson, he shuffled in still pale and weak but with some sort of change in his demeanor, he had determination in his eyes. He told me that he was certain I wasn't cursed. He had been researching different cursed potions and filing through stories of victims of these dark wizards and found nothing like what I was experiencing. He told me he would find an expert on dragons blood and find some way to get me out of that hopeless hell I called home. He kept his word and immediately reached out to friends and work colleagues which quickly connected him to Dumbledore."

Sirius smiled and Amelia returned the gesture, now rubbing his hand in hers.

"St. Mungos has a way of making you feel absolutely insane. I cried myself to sleep night after night, feeling like a monster. A uncontrollable cursed being . . .disgusting and hopeless. That all changed the first time Dumbledore visited me."

She giggled.

"I remember him walking into the dark gloomy cell; he was humming! Some up-beat tune I can't recall the name of... But anyway, he asked if I was a fan of chocolate frogs. Which he aptly pulled out of his cloak pockets, the table in front of us littered with them. He talked the entire time and every word burst a deep since of light and hope inside of me.

Every word was freedom, he was absolutely certain I wasn't cursed at all. He had studied dragons blood extensively and found me absolutely brilliant. He said he would love to have the privilege of tutoring me and learning more about my gift, he called it.

So, on Dumbledore's good name, I was released and we started working together. Mostly during the summer months when school was out. He was the one that connected the fact that this was awakened inside of me when I felt scared or threatened. It wasn't something uncontrollable, it was something that was a part of me, just as scared and confused as I was."

Amelia stopped and looked at Sirius who sat across from her wide eyed and complexly invested in the story. She let go of his hand and took a sip of her tea. Taking a deep breath before continuing.

"The first couple of months were excruciating. Most days we would end our lessons with me passing out in exhaustion or pain. It was as if I were fighting for control of myself against an unknown source that was determined to take me over. It felt scary and alien to me, everything inside of me screaming to reject it. But Dumbledore contradicted all of that, he would stand by side and encourage me to connect with it . . . summon it forward.

My first time manifesting a dragon was like finding an answer to an unknown question. I won't get into the details now but all you need to know for our stories sake is that I discovered that day that I have the ability to manifest a single dragon from any of the four elements."

Sirius' jaw dropped. "You can make a fire dragon?! A dragon made completely of fire?"

Amelia laughed "Yes, but that's new. I can manifest from air and earth with ease. Fire and water have been particularly difficult. Dumbledore's convinced that if I get fire down then water will soon follow...I manifested through fire the week before you found me at the black lake. I let my excitement get the better of me and foolishly tried to manifest through water... in the water . . . alone . . . at night." She shook her head in regret.

"Creating him from the pebbled shore, I climbed onto his back and decided to plunge into the lake...hoping he would relent and liquefy." Hitting her hand to her forehead she rolled her eyes "He liquified alright." She giggled. "It was terrifying, I was soaked in the middle of the pitch black lack with is home to some really creepy things! I'm surprised I made it to shore alive at all."

Amelia stopped and looked at Sirius. He was frozen, looking back in disbelief, mouth barely open in surprise and eyes bright with discovery. She waited a couple of minutes before hitting his shoulder.

"Say something!"

"That's WICKED!" Sirius exclaimed standing quickly, pulling her hand. "Let's go outside! I want to see!"

Amelia pulled back and pointed to the orb around them. "I thought it was obvious that this was a secret. Only you and one other student know about this. I can't just walk around Hogsmeade with a fire dragon warming our sides."

Unsatisfied, Sirius sat back in his chair, hands held out in excitement. "You've got to admit, that would be so awesome."

Amelia smirked as she waved her wand and watched as the orb disappeared. Sirius sat back silently, absorbing all of the information he had just received, biting his lip in bewilderment of this girl that had just become the most amazing woman he'd ever met. Turning his head in question, he asked

"You said one other student knows?"

She nodded "Yes, Remus."

"WHAT." Sirius spat in absolute shock. Remus was a better liar than he'd thought.

"I've known him for a little over a year now." Amelia simply stated, pulling out her gloves that rested on the old windowsill.

Sirius closed his eyes and shook his head. Greatly perplexed at every word coming out of her mouth.

"I'm so confused. What? Why? How? When!"

Amelia found his clumsy rant entertaining. "You're freaked over the fact that Remus and I have known each other for a year when I just confessed to you I'm part dragon?"

Sirius nodded his head with crazed eyes. "Yes! He's one of my closest mates!"

Quickly halting his mad outburst, he froze and looked into her eyes closely. Now curious to know just how well Amelia knew Remus.

She looked back at his investigative gaze and bent over the table to whisper softly and quickly.

"Yes, I know he's a werewolf."

Sirius burst clumsily from his chair, resulting in a loud crash to the ground. He rounded himself speedily and smiled apologetically to the rest of the pub as he bent to pick it back up.

Amelia pulled on her dark blue beret and mittens before standing and swaggering toward the pub door. Sirius paced after her.

"How? When?" He asked as he pulled his coat over his dark blue shirt.

She giggled as they ventured outside, shivering in the shock of cold winter air.

"I just told you, about a year ago. Dumbledore was the one who suggested it. He thought we may be able to relate to one another, both being so...unique."

Sirius nodded in understanding, even though he fully intended to rake Remus over the coals for this later, he would do so jokingly, because in all honesty he got it. When you're going through something as these two were, it was nice having someone who could relate.

They walked along side one another, the old roads wrapping through Hogsmeade covered with snow and spotted with chilly villagers.

"Want to meet up with everyone else? They're probably still at Honeydukes." Sirius suggested, moving his long hair from his smiling gray eyes, breath glistening in the air.

Amelia shook her head as she reached out and held his bare hand in her gloved one.

"No, I'd rather stay out here and walk with you...just you." The last two words caught her at a whisper. Was it the fact that he had saved her life? Or that he was so obviously attracted to her that made Amelia want to stay out with him all night talking all about her life and learning every detail about his?


	7. Chapter 7

In the weeks to follow, winter melted away into spring. Now three weeks past their cozy date in Hogsmeade Amelia and Sirius were inseparable. Students now lounged and studied regularly outdoors sprawled on the thick green hills.

Sirius and his friends were no different, laying peacefully on a grassy hillside.  
Remus read a book while James and Lily were consumed in close faced conversation as Peter charmed a spray of wildflowers into different colors in boredom.

"There you are." Amelia said breathlessly as she jogged to the top of the hill.

Sirius sat up from his laid-out position and rested his arm on his knee, smirking playfully as everyone else in the group welcomed her warmly.

"Now where have you-" Sirius' sentence was cut off as Amelia crashed on top of him in one skillful leap pulling back to look at his perfectly happy face she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.  
Without a second thought towards their unamused audience they continued to carelessly making out. Sirius' hands now knotted in her hair and sweater.

"Honestly you two, the incessant snogging is getting out of hand." James stated as he smacked Sirius foot.

"I think it's sweet." Lily crooned with a small wishful glance at James who immediately turned red.

"Thank you, Lily, you've always been my favorite." Sirius stated as he and Amelia pulled themselves back and sat up.

Postponing their make out session until later, Sirius knocked his shoulder into Amelia's, whispering seductively into her ear his warm breath exciting her

"Meet you behind Herbology in ten minutes?"

She shook her head and laughed "No, dinner begins in five." she insisted with red cheeks.

His lips grazed her ear as he hummed in understanding "Sorry, you're right. That was a thoughtless suggestion . . . library stacks after dinner . . . restricted section?" he breathed with a crooked smile, sending a shiver down Amelia's spine.

She looked at him from the corner of her eye "Even after what happened last time?" she flirted remembering their stifled laughter as Madam Pince nearly caught them amongst thick stacks of dusty books.

He laughed and kissed her neck "Especially after what happened last time."

Sirius squeezed her hips and she squealed in laughter before smacking his arm and turning to their friends now focused on different things.

"So how were everyone's lessons? Ready for exams?" Amelia beamed with a clap of her hands. The crowd grumbled at the thought of exams on the horizon, all except Remus who nodded his head cheerfully.

"I finished my vial of Veritaserum this morning."

Amelia leaned over and hugged him with giddy delight.

"Remus! Congratulations! You've been working to perfect that for months!"

He blushed and thanked her, sitting back while he watched Amelia lay against Sirius' chest.

The rest of the group talked about exams for a moment longer before Lily turned and asked Amelia how her lessons had gone.

"Lessons were fine." She nodded "Although, I did get threatened today."

"What?" The group said in unison.

"By who?" Sirius steamed, read to whip out his wand and propel someone into a tree.

Amelia remained cool and collected as she leaned against his now very tense shoulder, fingering a blade of grass.

"No idea. Whoever it was wrote a note and charmed it to fly into me while I was leaving Astronomy."

Sirius sat up, forcing Amelia out of her cooled relaxed state to face the group. Each of their expressions concerned and serious.

"Well?" James forced "what in the bloody hell did it say?"

She hesitated, looking at Sirius solemnly. "It said 'Keep your Scottish mud blooded self away from the Black Family or you'll live to regret it.' Something bleak and incriminating like that."

Sirius was enraged, immediately starting to think about who would send a ridiculous threat like that.

"That's horrible..." Remus said his own hand tightening into a fist.

"I know... I'm clearly Irish!" Amelia stated in attempt to lift the looming cloud of concern.

It was time for dinner and Amelia assured her loyal group of friends that she would keep a look out and let them know if she hears anything more.

As they stood to leave, Sirius waited for his friends to walk ahead before pulling Amelia back.

"This is serious." He said.

"Come on, don't get hung up on this. I've been called a thousand different things. A note from a scared bully whose too afraid to come and say this to my face, doesn't bother me."

Sirius hung his head and wrung his hands in frustration.

"It bothers me."

She pulled him up to the top of the hill that over looked the castle, pressing her body against his. His hands wrapped around the curves of her waist, hair brushing against his fingers.

"Anyways," she whispered against his lips. "if anything happens I'll just have Olliphet incinerate them." She said mischievously in reference to her dragon.

Sirius laughed and pulled her in, kissing her deeply. Her mouth opened to his as her hand pulled against his neck while the other trailed up and down the lines of his strong back.

"At least you have a plan in place." He joked against her lips, a line of frustration still lingering in his tone.

She brushed her fingers across his forehead. "Shhh . . .Clear your mind . . .focus only on all things restricted section." She giggled.

James yelled for them from the school courtyard. Sirius kissed Amelia's cheek and grabbed her hand. Laughing they sped down the shadowed hill and down the cobblestone path.

Dinner was a magnificent spread like any other. Turkey legs, minced pies and steaming rolls accompanied with vegetables and potatoes filled the plates of each student and warmed them into exhaustion; each lounging on their neighbor or the empty plate in front of them by the meals end.

As dinner disappeared in the blink of an eye, it was just as quickly replaced with the sweet sight of dessert, silverware clinked once again as spoons dug into ice creams and puddings while mouths crunched down on ginger biscuits.

The joy and solitude of dessert was soon ripped away by shrieks of terror from the Ravenclaw table.

Amelia and the friends around her screamed as a massive red and green snake shot upright from her dessert plate and onto the Ravenclaw table.

It all happened in a flash, terrified eyes looked at Amelia as she sat back in horror, watching the snake coil itself and stare her in the eyes before opening its mouth wide fangs barred inches from her face. Pausing just before its strike to yell in a deep murderous tone "Stay away you filthy mud blood!"

Amelia's body tensed, her eyes closed and she fell hard to the stone ground.

Her body began to convulse, with each ferocious twitch she would grasp for stability screaming

"No! No! No!"

Dumbledore and the rest of the professors stood immediately. Pulling out his wand he rushed to Amelia's side, the snake vanishing into thin air.

"Prefects, lead your houses back to their common rooms immediately." Professor McGonagall commanded.

Each table stood and rushed to the great hall doors as the floors began to rumble. Amelia's blood curdling screams filled the air. Dumbledore sat next to her, arm resting on her head as he spoke in serious demanding tones.

Sirius pushed against the panicked crowd in attempts to get to Amelia. His cloak was grabbed forcefully by James and Remus who dragged him out.

"Get off me!" Sirius yelled, punching their arms.

Remus told James to walk on as he pulled Sirius harshly along his side. "You heard McGonagall, we need to leave her, it's not safe."

"That THING cursed her." Sirius fumed in reference to the snake.

"She's already cursed, Sirius! I thought you said she told you!" Remus returned.

A long and rapturous scream erupted from the great hall, followed by the sound of a window shattering.

Sirius pushed against Remus who pushed equally as harsh back. Forcing Sirius out of the hall and into an abandoned classroom.

"This isn't that, Remus. She said she creates the dragon herself."

Remus' eyebrows furrowed as he forced Sirius to sit down.

"This is precisely the reason why Dumbledore felt Amelia and I would understand one another." He paused. "You're only half right. She can manifest it at will from the elements, that's true. But it can also will itself from her... when it feels threatened. The dragon isn't a cool charm she picked up and mastered over time. It's an actual part of her living being. If ever she feels threatened or deeply in danger, a battle inside of her begins. Think of it like a dragon protecting its treasure; Amelia's the hoard of gold."

"She had mentioned that happening in the beginning, but I didn't think it was still a problem. . ."

"Well it isn't every day that a massive man-eating python jumps out of your toffee pudding." Remus wisely pointed out.

Just then they heard a shuffling of feet and laughter. Sirius lifted his head and looked over his shoulder. His atrocious cousin Bellatrix walked the halls amongst her equally slimy group of friends.

As they walked off Sirius heard her hiss

"That'll teach that Scottish git."


	8. Chapter 8

"Bellatrix! We should have known. It's kind of obvious when you think about it. . . Damn she's terrible, what did you do?" James asked the next morning sitting in bed, glasses crooked and hair matted from sleep.

"Nothing! this impulsive fool stunned me before I could do anything!" Sirius said fiercely pointing an accusatory finger at Remus.

"Impulsive!? Me?" Remus shook. "YOU were the one madly sprinting across the room with your wand ready to ambush!"

"She attacked my girlfriend!"

"You and I against seven demented Slytherins?! Yeah, you're not that good at charms, mate." Remus heatedly returned.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait one minute." James yelled, his hands held up for them to stop. "Did you say girlfriend?" He smiled. "I didn't know things had gotten so... official" James sang with a raised brow and cheesy grin spread across his face.

Sirius groaned as he threw himself backward in bed, anxious to see Amelia.

Miraculously, Amelia was back to her regular class schedule the next day.

Sirius heard she was studying by the black lake and journeyed that way to be with her. She was alone. Writing in a journal, her hair blowing to the side in the forceful wind.

Sirius sat by her and put his arm over her shoulder. She didn't look at him, she kept her eyes on the water, watching as waves and bubbles surfaced. Her eyes red from crying.

"I'm the laughing stock of the school" she sniffed " . . .need a new pet name for me? How about 'possessed freak'?" She said sadly as she hung her head to cry again.

Sirius drew her in closer, resting her head on his chest, she buried her face into his cloak in deep sobs explaining in between batted breath that she had worked so hard for this to never happen and that an outburst like that could put lives in danger.

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked curiously, still holding her close hoping his presence reassured her that his feelings for her hadn't changed.

"Elemental or not, he's still a dragon and incredibly dangerous."

Her breathing steadied and Sirius kissed her head. She pulled back slightly to look him in the eye. The wind pushed all of his hair from his face, revealing his beautifully refined characteristics. He was extremely attractive to her, as well as many other witches in school who had verbalized their jealousy. Swooning compliments over the elder son of the Black Family.

She learned to quickly brush them off, he was so much more to her than a good personality and handsome face. She saw him, his kind and loyal heart, quick mind and passion for life and adventure. . . his heart, tethered to hers.

"It'll get better." He reassured her, bringing his hand up to graze her cheek.

She nodded "You're right." She said with a small smile.


	9. Chapter 9

"Welcome students to the end of the year exams!" Professor Hamish sang with fluttering jazz hands as birds squawked around his large green hat festooned with twirling buttons and Quidditch patches.  
He was a small and wiry old man who had grown more eccentric with age.

"Now as you can see, we are doing something quite different this year!" He announced loudly as he pointed to the large grounds of the Quidditch Arena, a long wooden table set in its center.

Sirius stood behind Amelia, arms wrapped around her waist.

"Blimey, that hat's something." He stated.

Amelia laughed. "Its better than the living flower exhibit he sported a few weeks ago on the first day of Spring. A literal sunflower grew from his head. It was wildly distracting, he left a trail of petals wherever he walked!" They both stifled laughter as their Professor continued.

"I can teach your young and nimble minds all year long but this here is the real test! Wand to wand combat!" The professor yelled with a sad attempt at a boxing combo, his lime green robes exposing his knobby ankles and belled elf shoes.

At his words the atmosphere changed among the students, some were jumping with excitement while others were terrified.

Sirius and James smacked a high five to one another as they turned to look at Snape who smiled back wickedly.

Professor Hamish waved his wand and an image of a lion roaring at a large fanged badger appeared in the sky.

"Gryffindor and Hufflepuff! Pick five competitors."

The students dispersed into their houses, huddling in large circles. Gryffindor and Hufflepuff selected five students who walked to the center of the Arena. Professor Hamish stood in the middle of the two groups and turned to the class.

"Here's how this will work, one from each team will step up to the dueling table and challenge one another. Once one member has been stunned or put on their back, they have five seconds before they are called out and the next will advance and so on and so forth.  
Extra points to the house that exercises impressive strategy!" He encouraged.  
"Because of my love for sport, you will be receiving house points based on your victories. For example, if Hufflepuff puts all of their Gryffindor opponents of their back, well then 5 points for Hufflepuff!"

The students applauded and broke up into small groups discussing strategy.

The first group set off in bright sparks of light as one spell after another was thrown. In the end, Hufflepuff did pull out a surprising victory winning three out of the five fights.

Professor Hamish squealed with glee at the victory of his own house. After every round he would flick his wand to the sky and every student would look heaven ward to see which two animals would fly out to battle next.

A Snake hissed and curved itself ready to strike at a bounding Eagle who flung its wings ferociously.

Gryffindor and Hufflepuff immediately began to chant and cheer for Ravenclaw to win. Only encouraging the Slytherins to pull out an even more impressive battle.

Amelia immediately volunteered to be in the first round at the rapturous applause of her house and loud hollering from Sirius and his band of merry men.  
The group of Slytherins approached the arenas center until one competitor was harshly ripped away by a wild haired girl, tall and slender with crazed dark eyes pointed intently on Amelia with a small wicked smile.

"I'll take the first turn." The girl demanded, full of motion as she paced back and forth on the dueling ground. Her wand hungry in her hands.

"That's Bellatrix Black . . . Sirius' cousin." Patty Ling whispered from Amelia's group. "I don't want to go up against her, she's crazy!"

Immediately Amelia knew she was facing her tormentor. She looked for a moment at Sirius who confirmed her curiosity with burning fury in his eyes. Pushing to the front of the line, Amelia stood tall, calm and collected, hands steadily wrapped around her wand, face composed and waiting for Professor Hamish to count down.

"Alright ladies, remember, wand at the ready, never take your eye off of your opponent, 5, 4, -"

Before Professor Hamish could finish, Bellatrix shouted to the sky as a harsh shot of red burst from the tip of her wand. Flipping Amelia into the air before ripping harshly back down, The wind knocked out of her and focus spotted she grasped her wrist which was bent the wrong way and pounding with pain.

Bellatrix laughed at the sight of her while the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs booed and yelled for reprimand.

"Cheap!"

Professor Hamish took two points from Slytherin for the unfair attack before counting down from five to see if Amelia was well enough to continue.  
She lifted herself, picking up her wand in the other hand, hunched over and still breathless. Bellatrix howled once again as another shot came from her wand towards Amelia.

Still crouched over, Amelia raised her wand with a quick rebounding charm, causing the curse to turn and attack Bellatrix with volts of electricity that shook her body.

One charm after the next was thrown and deflected, absorbed and endured, one of them could have easily pulled out a charm that would lay the other flat on her back, but neither girl was looking for the easy victory, they wanted blood.  
Throwing one hex after another, Amelia caught Bellatrix off guard and shot her with a spell that threw her to the ground with a loud skidding thud.

"Are you finished!" Amelia yelled after her, sweat dripping from her own forehead, lip sliced open and bloody.

Bellatrix stood warily, a cut on her head.

"Not even close." She hissed with fury.

Amelia deflected her next spell and immediately pointed to herself and shouted "Multiplio!"

Suddenly she was multiplied 20 times over springing herself in jesting taunts to the extreme delight of the class.  
Bellatrix looked furiously at her laughing classmates and screamed wildly before pointing her wand at one of the clones and shouting

"CRUCIO!"

The clones vanished instantly as Amelia screamed and writhed in pain at Bellatrix's feet.

Sirius yelled from the crowd as he pulled out his own wand and threw a spell at his cousin.

Professor Hamish was utterly stunned and yelled for Bellatrix to stop before he pulled out his own wand, his spell combining with Sirius' curse, stopped her.

Amelia lay barely breathing on the ground. Her head pounding with pain as her blood began to boil.

"Amelia!" She heard Sirius scream as he ran toward her.

Her mind was dizzy, smoke and fire demanding all control of her thoughts and grasp on reality. She could feel the heat in her eyes, the mending of her broken wrist as Olliphet commanded to be released.

"I'm so sorry Professor, you said there were no rules..." Bellatrix lamented in fake innocence.

"I said nothing of the sort!" He shouted.

Bellatrix looked over at Amelia with a smirk as Professor Hamish declared the duel between them over and class dismissed.  
The still ground beneath them began to quake furiously. She could hear Remus yell for everyone to back up and move away. Bellatrix was mortified as she tried to stay upright but idiotic pride kept her feet planted and wand ready.  
Sirius stopped running towards Amelia as the ground began to crack.

Amelia crouched to touch the ground and felt the earth rip open as Olliphet raised out of its core, made completely of lava and flame. The students ran away in terror at the sight of the horrible creature. The dragon landed next to Amelia and walked itself over to Bellatrix, screeching loudly in her face before blowing a ring of fire around her.

Sweat beaded down Amelia's face, her teeth gritted while the flaming dragon crouched to attack.

Different Professors we're now running towards the Quidditch stadium that was billowing in black smoke.

Olliphet continued to screech, ready strike his prey but seemed to be choked back by an invisible chain.

Amelia had a controlled grasp. She was in control but she could feel the anger and fury bursting through her body demanding that they get revenge for being tortured. The sound of screeching that had the likeness of a hurricane clouded her thoughts. In the midst of the sound she could hear the muffled voice of someone yelling for her to stop, begging her not to do it.

Turning her head toward the class, Olliphets own flame covered neck turning in unison, the remaining students all screamed and shuddered in fear hiding behind the Professors.

Their terror sobered Amelia as she saw the monster she had become. The lucid moment calmed her long enough for her to turn and jump onto the dragons back. Transforming him into a manifestation of dirt, roots, and flames. He crouched once more screeching loudly at the cowering state of the sweating and pleading Bellatrix before flying away over the forbidden forest.


	10. Chapter 10

Classes were canceled for the rest of the day as most of the Professors walked the grounds in search of Amelia. After an hour of students faces pressed against the castle windows in hopes of glimpsing the girl and her flaming dragon, the students gave up and headed to the great hall for dinner.

Dinner appeared as usual in its grandeur at the center of each house table. Every conversation tainted by harsh and absurd gossip from each witch and wizard expressing their own version of what had happened.

"It was horrifying! She opened her mouth and a dragon flew out of it! Nearly killing all of us!" A red headed Hufflepuff recalled.

"I heard she was hit with the Cruciatus curse and a flaming dragon burst from the forbidden forest and ate her before flying away."

"I knew it!" A seventh year Gryffindor shook "my tea leaves said death and destruction were on the horizon!"

"You're an idiot." Sirius turned and spat harshly to the girl. She scoffed and crossed her arms, turning her nose up at him.

Sirius threw his fork on the table in frustration "Seriously, if I have to hear one more _ridiculous_ story over what happened today, I swear I'm going to - "

"Look!" Lily pointed as two professors pushed open the great hall doors. They poked in their heads and nodded to Professor McGonagall who sat overlooking the rest of the students. Relief washed over her face as she nodded back. James patted Sirius on the shoulder.

"They must have found her. She's going to be okay, Sirius." James nodded assuredly.

Dinner concluded and the students were dismissed to their houses for the evening. Whispers and gossip still crowded everyone's mouth but to Sirius' great relief each conversation dissipated as everyone began to settle for bed. James, Remus, Peter and Sirius sat in their room and lazied around. Sirius pulled James aside shirtless and half dressed for bed.

Before he could speak, James smirked and pulled the invisibility cloak from the bottom of his untidy trunk.

"Go on." James said as he pushed the cloak into Sirius hands.

Sirius hugged him quickly and grabbed the marauders map. Sitting in the common room until midnight, he watched the halls leading to the hospital wing and the wing itself. Madam Pomfrey tended to her patients a few times more before walked off to her room for the night. This was his chance. He pulled on the invisibility cloak and made his way quickly through the dark school halls, passing ghosts and a sour faced Filch along the way.

Opening the hospital wing door, he walked in and pulled off the cloak, looking at each bed as he passed.  
One held a student sleeping soundly with the head of a lizard; The next of a young girl with no hair at all and the third held a peacefully sleeping Amelia. The moonlight from the window reflected on her pale skin, giving her a glowing halo.

Sirius took a step closer and grazed her hand gently, not wanting to wake her. He saw she had a fair amount of scratches on her arm but seemed okay, that was all he needed to know to rest easily. Turning to leave he heard a rustle in her bed and turned to see her eyes open, winter blue and smiling.

"What are you doing here?" She whispered.

He came close to her face looking around the room once more before saying anything.

"I needed to see if you were okay, are you?"

She nodded gently "I'm fine. These are from twigs and branches." She said lifting her arms "I'm really sore from the Cruciatus, and there's some internal swelling and cracked ribs but Madame Pomfrey said that was typical. I should feel back to myself in about a month. . ." she paused.  
"The worst part is that rancid potion. I have to drink it every day for three more weeks." She said pointing to the bedside table where a small yellowed potion bottle rested, filled with a black bubbling slime.

"A month before you're back to normal?" Sirius was shocked.

"There's a reason why it's an unforgivable curse." Amelia wheezed, short of breath.

Sirius shook his head as he grazed her hair and cheek.

"Oh, and I believe you now." She added looking up at him.

"Believe what?"

"Your family's demented." She smirked.

He shook his head and laughed quietly lifting her hand to kiss her bandaged fingers.

"I'm glad you're going to be alright."

She lifted her face to kiss him, lips inches from his she mused "Maybe a therapy dog would help push along my progress."

Sirius laughed "You know what? I think you're on to something with that. Like a really shaggy black one!"

A light turned on down the hall and before Amelia could push Sirius to leave he had vanished.


	11. Chapter 11

Harry sat in the shadowed gloom that was the living room at Grimmauld place. Focused on his Godfather who spoke with an animated glow as he reminisced on his school days at Hogwarts. Harry allowed himself to escape into the story as if it were a Pensieve inviting him to fall into the past.

"So, what happened after she was released from the hospital wing?" Harry asked, his knees pulled into his chest in concentration.

Sirius slightly pursed his lips and shook his head  
"Nothing much, we finished exams. I went to Ireland that summer and she asked her father if they could take in a stray dog for a few months."

Sirius laughed as he rested his head in his hand, immersed in memory.  
"My taste for mischief was rubbing off on her quickly. We got tattoos together that summer, her first...my third." He smirked as he put out his hand and pointed to a small pair of dragons' wings in between his finger and thumb.

"She got a dog's paw in the same spot. Get it?" He said with a wink. "At this point she knew everything. All about the marauders, how I was an Animagus, my plans to travel the world! All of it." He looked at the locket with longing. "She demanded a cool nickname like the marauders, we came up with Leatherwing together." He smirked.

"Things got worse after we graduated. Voldemort's rise . . ." He whispered in a pained tone before moving on. "Your Father and I went backpacking a year after graduation, an amazing trip; Moony was there!"

Sirius yelled as Remus passed the open archway to the living room. Back tracking he popped his head in, face scarred and hair disheveled.

"Where was I?" He smiled, leaning against the arm of Harry's chair.

"Backpacking through Eastern Europe."

Remus tired eyes widened in recognition, a smile growing on his face in delight of the memory.

"That was quite the trip! If I remember correctly, Lily was quite pregnant with you at the time, young Harry."

Remus pointed with a joyful gleam. He turned and saw the projection of Amelia in the locket, he smiled sadly to Sirius who shrugged in return.

"He wanted something to take his mind off the trial."

Remus nodded.

"Amelia was amazing. A true Ravenclaw. Fiercely loyal, compassionate and always learning!" he chuckled as he stared at the young woman in the projection.

"Remus!" Kingsley shouted from the next room. Remus excused himself and left. Harry turned back to Sirius.

"What happened to her? You said she's in the tropics? That means she made it through Voldemort's first war."

Sirius nodded as he attempted to mask his pain "Yes, but not the way she intended to..."

"What?" Harry asked.

"Sadly, this is where our love story turns into a tragedy...we had just gotten back from our two-month manly expedition through Eastern Europe. Amelia and Lily waited at the train station to welcome us home.


	12. Chapter 12

Sirius, James and Remus jumped off the train and onto the smoked platform. Lilly waddled over excitedly to her beaming husband who wrapped her in a warm embrace, kissing her face ten times before bending down to kiss her pregnant belly.

"You've grown!" he smiled, overrun with love and pride as he kissed her lips again.  
She went down the line and hugged Remus and Sirius, welcoming them back.

Sirius glanced down at her with an amused smirk.  
"Now, you two are absolutely positive it's only one godchild in there?" He joked as he pointed to her stomach, Lily glared at him.

"You're the last person who should be joking about appearances! What _are_ you wearing?" she stressed with a giggle.

Each man was shirtless and wearing an open fur trimmed blue coat. Their hair adventurously windswept and jeans torn and dirtied.

Sirius scoffed. "These are the coolest coats in all of Europe."

"Maybe even all the world." James added, Sirius nodding in agreement.

"You look like a trio of wannabe Sherpas." Lily blandly stated.

James and Sirius beamed with pride.

"See darling, you _do_ get it!" James returned.

Remus shook his head cynically, obviously forced to buy and wear his own coat for uniformity and decorum.

"I'm going to set off for home, talk soon."

They all said their warm farewells to Remus. As he left, Sirius looked around the train station impatiently.

"Where's _my_ welcome committee?"

"Amelia's here, we came together. Someone she knew caught her in conversation just as the train whistle blew . . ."

"I'M HERE! I'M SORRY! I'M HERE!" Amelia shouted as she sprinted down the platform waving her arms frantically as she screamed and leapt into Sirius arms pushing him back a few steps and forcing him to drop his backpack to hold her to him.

"You're back!" she exclaimed.

"I'm back!" he cheered.

They kissed and Sirius held her closer to him as he grabbed her coat and ran his fingers through her hair, clinging to every moment that he had missed for two months. Her bright smile and melodic voice convincing him even further that he never wanted to be without her again.

Jumping down from her boyfriend, Amelia hugged James tightly and smiled back and forth to them both.

"Well, was the goal met?" she asked. "Two months without a bed?"

"Of course." They both replied.

Amelia put one arm around Lily as the other rested on her rounded belly.

"Well I'm glad you're home. I was getting worried! The doctor said she was due to pop any day!" she beamed.

James expressed his deepest gratitude to Amelia for staying at Lily's side while they were gone.

"I loved it! We had a great time! I can't wait to meet this little guy!"

Sirius reached for Amelia, grabbing her hand. "I think I can speak for all of us when I say we truly can't wait to meet all three of those babies."

His tasteless comment got him smacked three times on the back of the head, most forcefully by Lily. As they made their way outside the station Sirius muttered for James and Lily to wait as he riffled through his large backpack for a moment before pulling out a small blue bag.

"For Harry?" Lily smiled as she took it.

Sirius shook his head. "For you. . . it's a necklace." He confessed as Lily undid the ties. "This older witch we came across in a mountain village of Romania said the shells were collected and made into jewelry for the expecting mothers of the tribe. They're charmed to soothe and comfort you during labor . . ." he shrugged. "I thought you'd like them."

Lily teared up as she pulled the long white and blue shelled necklace from the small bag and smiled. Finding herself at an emotional loss for words as she hugged Sirius tightly, her large round belly pressed against his toned abs.

"I love it so much Sirius!" Lily sobbed, now losing any sense of composure as she cried hard against his shoulder.

James' eyes widened as an amused smile grew on his face before he mouthed "hormones" silently. Peeling his wife from Sirius now damp shoulder and laying her against his own chest, Lily waved goodbye sniffing as she grasped the necklace in her hand before they apparated.

Sirius threw his backpack over his should and wrapped an arm around Amelia's waist. "Well, I didn't see that coming."

"Awe, you're such a softie!" Amelia beamed, kissing his cheek.

"Do you want one of those?" Sirius asked, looking at Amelia from the corner of his eyes.

"A labor pain necklace? Nah, I'm good."

He rolled his eyes. "No . . . a baby."

She stopped walking and looked at him endearingly. "Yeah, one day. What about you?"

He nodded with a playful smirk. "If the right girl comes along . . ." he laughed and shouted playfully as she smacked his bare chest.

Grabbing her hand, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her once more. Amelia relaxed into his strong arms and skillful technique.  
"There's nobody but you, Amelia. Forever and Ever. I can't wait to have a hundred babies with you! We'll start a small colony."  
She laughed and kissed him again before they apparated back to their house, Sirius squeezing the small ring box that was safely enclosed in his coat pocket.


	13. Chapter 13

_**In the passing months, The Dark Lords followers grew steadily. In response, Dumbledore pulled together a group of gifted and trustworthy witches and wizards to fight against Voldemort's rise.  
Sirius, Remus, Lily and James were among the brave few that were sought out. Amelia was asked but knew that one slip up or unaccounted for scare could endanger the entire Order. Dumbledore reassured her that when the time came, when the inevitable battle arose, he would need her to stand with them. She agreed immediately. Knowing they would always be strongest together.**_

"Happy Birthday Harry!" Sirius exclaimed as he burst through the front door of the Potters home, a badly wrapped present under his arm, Amelia smiling behind his shoulder. They both immediately went to the young smiling boy whose bright green eyes focused on his godfather as Sirius bent over to pick him up.

"Your best mate Sirius got you something! But you have to promise me you'll practice all the time so that one day you can beat your dear old dads Quidditch score." Sirius said in hushed and animated tones, his version of baby talk.

Harry responded with loud squeals as Sirius ripped off the paper of his present revealing a toddler broom. Pulling it out of the box, Amelia helped Harry balance on top of the broom as it hovered a couple of feet off the ground.

"How perfect! Thanks, you two!" Lily exclaimed, a camera in hand.

James ran in front of Harry and pretended to be terrified as Harry bounced and chased him slowly around the living room. Sitting on the ground and laughing along with their friends and family as they cheered Harry on, a loud rapping knock at the front door startled the guests.  
Sirius, James, Peter and Remus jumped up immediately with wands out. Amelia leapt with Lily to guard young Harry.

"Who's there?" James boomed in a serious tone.

"Alastor!" The voice called from the other end. There was a hesitation from the guests, Remus holding up one finger, before the rugged voice yelled once more. "Phoenix tail!"

A sigh of relief was collectively breathed as James, Remus, Sirius and Peter walked to the door to welcome Moody. He grumbled in a forced greeting and weak "Happy Birthday" before pulling the men outside and closing the door.

"It's time, Dumbledore said we have to separate. Death Eaters are gaining on the Order. He wants everyone to meet with him individually to be assigned different locations. When the time comes, he'll call on us and we can come together, but for now, we're getting ambushed everywhere we go. Remus, he wants to meet with you first." Alastor nodded and the men began to go back inside. Alastor held back James and Sirius. Lowering his voice to a rough whisper.

"We knew this moment was coming, we hoped it wouldn't but it's here. One thing's for sure, Voldemort is searching for any leverage to torture the Order. Each of us has someone we care for deeply and he has made it his mission to find out who that is. So, now's the time for us to consider how best to protect it."

At this grim warning, Alastor apparated and left James and Sirius in the dark of the garden, standing silently in the prison of their thoughts.  
James looked up and spoke first, reading his friends mind as Sirius looked into the window where Amelia sat and ate cake in great laughter as Harry fed her messily with a spoon.

"You still haven't asked her?" James asked looking in behind him.

Tears formed in Sirius eyes as the agony of the future set in, hundreds of hopeful possibilities painfully tearing away.  
"No." He croaked grasping the frame of the window for stability before hanging his head to cry. James grabbed his shoulder from behind in attempts to comfort his best friend.


	14. Chapter 14

Sirius and Amelia walked home to their cottage, her hand held in his as he looked down at her warm face, agonizing over what he had to do.

He and the entire Order knew that if Voldemort ever got his hands-on Amelia he would torture and force her into manifestation. The heinous Bellatrix would be sure to tell her beloved master about the girl that could conjure a dragon from fire, water, earth and air. The moment had come, he couldn't delay it any longer. The time had come where he had to be willing to sacrifice his own future and selfish desires in hopes to save the woman he loved.

Unlocking the door, Amelia eased her way in and sat on the leather couch, smiling up at Sirius. His gray eyes clouded with pain.

"Come here." She said holding out her hands for his. "You've been down ever since the end of the party. What's going on? What did Alastor say?"

He sat with her on the couch, the chain hanging from his jeans clattered against the metal buckles of his leather jacket. His knees pushed against hers as he hung his head.

"The Order has to separate." He said quietly.

"Okay . . ." She said hand on his leg. "Where are we going?"

His eyes shut tight, tears brimming and throat closing in.

" _I'm_ staying here." He agonized.

As he lifted his face to hers she saw the torture in his eyes. Terror ripped through Amelia's soul as she recognized what he was implying. She pulled his teary eyes up to meet her own and grasped both of his hands tightly.

"No Sirius. We agreed, remember? This is exactly what Voldemort wants . . .to terrify us into turning on one another and separating. We're best together. You know it's true. Don't do this . . .don't." Her blue pleading eyes flooded with tears as she looked desperately into his.

He stroked her hair with weak hands, shaking his head.

"It's the only way." He stated.

Amelia pulled back, slapping him hard across the face as her heart break suffocated her.

"I can't do this life without you Sirius!" she sobbed. "I can help! You know I can help!" she screamed. "Don't do this!" She gasped for breathe. "You're breaking my heart! Please don't do this! I'm not scared, I would die for you!"

"I know you would Amelia!" Sirius shouted as he shot up in frustration "Don't you see?! That's exactly the problem! You would die, you would sacrifice yourself for any of us! But I can't let you do that I can't help the Order and I could never live with myself if Voldemort captured and did God knows what to you. There's nothing left to say, THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE!"

His shout boomed through the house. His ending sentence shattering all hope. Sirius pulled out a piece of parchment and began to write, his hands still shaking, tears sliding down his face.

"We'll meet with Dumbledore. He'll come her and find a place for you. . . he'll know what's safest."

Amelia was still sitting on the couch, her mind swimming to make sense of it all. "But what if we win, Sirius? What if this all ends and Voldemort dies? What then? What about us?"

He shook his head, arms limp barley grasping the parchment in his hands as he handed it to his owl. He knew that she would grasp and stay if he offered any small ray of hope.

"We can't plan a life around 'What if' . . ." He muttered.

A couple hours later, Dumbledore knocked on the front door of the cottage. Sirius opened it immediately without checking to see who it was and Dumbledore walked in to see Sirius in a state he had never witnessed before. He looked pale, clouded, his face dull with red rimmed eyes.

"Hello my boy." Dumbledore welcomed. "Is she here?"

Before Sirius could speak Amelia walked into the living room her own eyes raw from crying.

"I'm here Sir." She spoke, voice broken.

Dumbledore sat down and waited for her to join him. She looked to Sirius who leaned against the wall as if it were the only thing keeping him standing. Amelia shuffled her way to the cream-colored sofa and sat next to her old headmaster, gaze focused on the floor.

"My dear," Dumbledore began in a calm voice. "We have allies in the Cayman Islands who are avid students and activist for magical creatures. They were very fascinated in reading my letters about you and Olliphet. They've expressed a deep desire to meet you for years . . . now seems like a perfect time for you to visit. I believe you could be a tremendous help to the Or-"

Amelia held her hand.

"I'll go Sir, but only on one condition."

Dumbledore waited with warm composure, Sirius raised his head in question, arms crossed, hands clutched to the sleeve of his jacket in anguish.

"I want you to erase my memory." She stated assuredly.

"What?" They said together.

"I want to be helpful to you and the Order in anyway I can. But, I know myself. I'll come back, I'll fight it, I'll do whatever it takes to be with . . ." She hesitated as she looked at Sirius who was holding back another flood of tears.

She sighed "I need you to erase my memory. Then I can go as you wish, without argument." She ended.  
Dumbledore looked over at Sirius before asking her if she was absolutely sure, as a tear rolled down her cheek she assured him she was.

Dumbledore stood and pulled his wand from his navy-blue cloak. "I will replace your memories. All memories of Sirius, James, Lily and Remus will be replaced with artificial ones, joyful but less life impacting. . . Is that what you want?"

As she whispered a shaky yes, Sirius rushed out the front door as he heard Dumbledore begin his incantation, wand pointed to Amelia's head.

Sitting on the couch, hands on her knees and eyes focused across the room, Amelia could feel the spell run through her mind like water, living once more every memory she was losing.

The rush of her heart as he walked into the hospital wing when they had first met. The sincerity of his grasp as she told him about her gift, his awe and amazement in her as she spoke about her passions.

Their first kiss, in the pouring rain at the Quidditch play offs when Gryffindor beat Slytherin. Their amazing summer together in Ireland, cuddled by the fire and playing in the sea.  
Her bursting hope and immeasurable excitement when she found the ring box hidden inside his coat pocket.

The charm took each memory and squeezed it into submission. Molding it into something it never was, or was it? What was once clear and undeniably real now felt fuzzy and forgotten.  
With her dying memories also went her hopes for the years to come, of what she treasured could have been. The image and hope of their first child, his curly hair wild like his fathers. Marrying Sirius in the depths of a forgotten forest; Exploring the depths of the oceans and climbing mountains together, making memories with friends that were closer than family. Each fantasy taken and suffocated until it existed no more.  
And then it was over . . . all of it.


	15. Chapter 15

"Sirius . . ." Harry breathed, unsure what to say.

"It was for the best, really. Dumbledore knew it too or he would have never done it. "

"But can't it be reversed?" Harry asked "What if we defeat Voldemort? What if this is the end? What if you're able to see her again?" Harry suggested hopefully.

Sirius remembered his fateful words to Amelia when she too had the same glimmering hope in her eyes.

" _We can't plan a life around 'what if'."_

This time Sirius smirked as he closed the locket and gripped it firmly looking to his godson with a small smile, he said what he wished he would have said to Amelia sixteen years ago.

"We must always hold on to hope, Harry. Never forget that we're strongest when we're with those who love us most."


End file.
